Pro-federalization activists take over govt buildings across Eastern Ukraine

Pro-Russian activists stand in front of a barricade outside the regional state administration building in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on April 12, 2014. (AFP Photo / Max Vetrov) / AFP

Thousands of pro-federalization activists have rallied in cities across Eastern Ukraine, calling for greater sovereignty of their region from Kiev. Activists have formed militias that helped anti-Maidan protesters seize several government buildings.

Activists in Slavyansk, a city in eastern Ukraine located in the
north of the Donetsk region with a population of 120,000, seized
the police headquarters and the city council building Saturday.
Police said Anti-Maidan protesters also seized the local office
of Ukraine’s Security Service, the SBU.

They hoisted a Russian flag on top of the police HQ, Slavyansk
Mayor Nelly Shtepa said.

“As I negotiated with the activists today, they explained
that they represent the Donetsk regional people’s militia. They
said that they oppose Kiev authorities and today they are
negotiating with them” she said.

Shtepa added that the people of the city support the activists’
calls for a referendum on the region’s federalization, and are
urging the police to side with the people.

If the authorities in Kiev will “try to suppress the
uprising, many civilians will die, this cannot be allowed,”
Shtepa said.

There are reports that the activists in Slavyansk have taken up
weapons. However, one of the members of the Donbas people’s
militia told media that no one was hurt during the
storm of the police HQ, adding that the government building will
be under their control until a referendum is held.

Ukraine’s coup-imposed Interior Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on
his Facebook page that the raid on police HQ was carried out by
masked men with guns. He promised that the government’s answer to
the raid would be “very harsh.” Avakov added that a
Special Forces unit has been deployed to the scene.

Anti-Maidan protesters stopped two buses full of security forces
which were heading from Donetsk to Slavyansk, Rossiya 24 TV
channel reported. After negotiations, the security forces turned
back to their Donetsk HQ.

“I can’t say there was a conflict between the police and
activists, the latter just accompanied the Special Unit forces
back to their HQ,” said a Rossiya 24 correspondent, who was
at the scene.

Berkut Special Forces side with Donetsk people

In Donetsk, officers of the former Berkut special riot police
unit refused to obey orders from Kiev and move to crush a
pro-federalization takeover in Slavyansk. Instead Berkut officers
sided with the people of the region, offering them security and
protection.

Berkut forces occupied police headquarters in Donetsk. Tying St.
George ribbons to their uniform, the special unit said that they
supported the demands of the local population and refused to obey
their command. Berkut fighters arrived at the building of the
Internal Affairs building of the city.

“Berkut has always been and will remain with its
people,” a representative of Berkut said as he addressed the
crowd, Youtube video shows. “I want to assure you, that if
you're faced with threats, any type of a threat, we will all rise
up and come to your rescue,” the representative continued to
loud cheers from the crowd, with applause and chants of
“Berkut! Berkut!”

In the morning opponents of the Kiev authorities tried to take
control of regional prosecutor's office, with a few managing to
enter the building for negotiations. The protesters were
demanding for Donetsk regional police chief to resign. Conceding
to demands, the head of police Major-General Konstantin Pozhidaev
announced his resignation.

Supporters of federalization returned to the regional state
administration building which they continue to hold since the
beginning of the week.

Administration, police HQ seized in Kramatorsk

Pro-federalization protesters have also occupied the police
headquarters in the town of Kramatorsk, Donbas region, reports
Itar-Tass. Around 50 armed protesters entered the building and
several warning shots were heard, but witnesses and hospitals did
not report any injuries.

Yet, local Ukrainian media claimed that one person has been
wounded. "According to preliminary information shots at the
Kramatorsk police station were fired from Makarov pistols and
Kalashnikovs. There is one wounded," Novosti Donbassa
reports not citing their source.

Following the takeover, almost immediately a spontaneous rally
assembled in support of the anti-Kiev activists.

As the anti-Maidan forces secured the building they addressed the
crowd, saying that they had to occupy the premises against Kiev’s
“corrupt” police chiefs. “Common policemen will
continue serving the people of Donbas,” they announced. The
self-defense force also promised to protect the region and the
citizens of the town from the “Kiev junta”, Youtube
video shows.

“We are the people that rose up to kick-out the Kiev corrupt
police force,” a man from the video says, as the crowd
cheered him on. “We will serve the people of the Donetsk
region.”

Earlier on Saturday, a Donetsk Republic flag was raised at the
city administration building, as the anti-Maidan rally took place
in the city, showing their support for independence of the
Donetsk Region.

Kramatorsk is a city of some 200,000 people in Donetsk Region in
eastern Ukraine. The city is an important mechanical engineering
center in Ukraine.

Amid the protests calling for Ukraine’s federalization, acting
president Aleksandr Turchinov sacked the head of the SBU security
service for the Donetsk region, Valery Ivanov, on Saturday,
according to a decree published on the presidential website.

Kharkov, Ukraine's 2nd largest city, marches for federalization

Protests also took place in Kharkov, where hundreds of
pro-federalization activists gathered in the city center
demanding a regional referendum on broader autonomy from Kiev.

At the same time supporters of the Kiev authorities have also
held a march with many witnesses reporting large crowds from the
ultra-nationalist Right Sector.

Police officers managed to detain four men, two of which came
from Western Ukraine, wearing bulletproof vests at the Kharkov
train station, who tried to smuggle a cardboard box in with
homemade explosive devices.

In other smaller towns across Ukraine's Donetsk region, activists
have also taken over local administration buildings and police
HQs.

In Druzhkovka, a town of 60,000 people, activists have managed to
seize power at the local police headquarters after a rally.

Gathered outside the HQ, they shouted, “As long as we're
united, we will be victorious.”

Earlier on Saturday about 20 men also secured the police
department of the Krasny Liman, a town of around 20,000 people in
the Donetsk region.

"There is no armed seizure of the building. As you can see,
the city police station is closed. People gathered here to
prevent provocations. Because this is our city and we don't want
any riots. Everything is ok and calm,” Andrey Bobrov,
Donbass militia activist told RT Ruptly.

The town of Konstantinovka with 80,000 people and Snezhnoe have
also seen pro-federalization uprisings on Saturday, local media
reports. In the city of Mariupol, in southeastern Ukraine a rally
has also been held in support of the Donetsk regional
authorities.

Unrest has gripped eastern Ukraine after the EuroMaidan protests
in Kiev, which resulted in a coup on February 22. People in
Donetsk, Kharkov, Lugansk and other cities are calling for a
referendum to decide on the status of the Donbass regions.